Needle board for needle felting machines



Aug. 20, 1968 J. ZOCHER 3,397,436

NEEDLE BOARD FOR NEEDLE FELTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 50, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.|.

INVENTOR. Josef Zocher Witness josal MJ Teal ATTORNEY 1968 J. ZOCHER 3,397,436

NEEDLE BOARD FOR NEEDLE FELTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Josef Zocher witness I04 84 02 $921516! 7%; I fATTORNEY United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a felting machine. More particularly, this disclosure relates to an improved needle board for a felting machine in which the felting needles are secured to a resilient plate contiguous with a rigid frame. The frame has apertures formed therein into which the felting needles extend.

Background of invention Heretofore, the needles were connected directly into a needle board of one piece construction having holes slightly smaller than the needle shanks into which the needles Were connected by force fit. If replacement was required a needle would be removed by driving it out of the hole and a new needle inserted. After a few replacements the hole became larger so that the original size needle would no longer fit snugly and if used caused misalignment of the needle resulting in its bending or breaking. Thus, the holes would have to be redrilled to a larger size or the needle board replaced.

Another problem was that the drill of the size needed to make the relatively small hole was easily overheated, bent or deflected, thus causing some of the holes to have nonparallel axes. Needles mounted in the nonparallel holes would be out of vertical alignment and therefore also be in nonparallel relationship with the other needles. As the needle bed reciprocated relative the work, the nonparallel needles would be subject to bending or breaking.

Worn holes in the conventional one piece needle boards may be drilled oversize and needles with separate tubular inserts, one over each individual needle shank may be mounted in the oversize holes. However, this procedure involves an additional expense in time, labor and material, and severely limits the density of the needles in the needle board. Furthermore, once the inserts have worn they must be individually replaced and since their wear may be uneven, unless all are replaced at the same time, replacements may prove as burdensome as would redrilling of the one-piece of the needle board.

Summary of the invention In accordance with the present invention, the needle board is formed of multilayers, at least one of which is rigid and at least one of which is resilient. The rigid layer has a plurality of apertures formed therein. The resilient layer is contiguous to the rigid layer and provides needle gripping means to supportably receive felting needles which extend in the apertures of the rigid layer.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved needle board for a felting machine which overcomes the prior at deficiencies; which is simple, economical and reliable; which is multilayered; which has a resilient layer associated with a rigid layer in cooperating fashion to form the improved needle board; which uses a resilient plate means made of either rubber, or a suitable synthetic plastic, or other elastic synthetic material; which uses a resilient plate means to firmly support the needles of the needle board; which uses a resilient plate means mounted on each side of the frame to firmly support the needles of the needle board in parallel relation along a plurality of vertically spaced points on the shank of the respective needles; which uses a frame having apertures or clearance openings formed therein; which uses a frame having transverse ribbing formed between the openings; which has the needles supported wholly within the holes of the resilient plate means that in turn are supported by the frame; and which permits the density of the needles mounted therein to be as great or greater than prior types of needle boards; which uses variable sized holes in the resilient plate means thereof; which uses any one of a variety of predetermined arrangements for the clearance openings of the frame and the holes of plate means.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of several embodiments of the invention and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in the claims.

Brief description of the drawings This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a novel needle board embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan view of the novel needle board.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional side elevational view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary plan view of the resilient plate of the novel needle board showing a form of hole therein adapted to receive needles having shanks of regular or larger than regular cross sectional area.

FIGURE 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary plan view of the resilient plate of the novel needle board showing a form of hole therein adapted to receive needles having shanks of regular or smaller than regular cross sectional area.

FIGURE 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary plan view of the resilient plate of the novel needle board showing a form of hole therein adapted to receive needles having shanks of regular or either larger or smaller cross sectional area than regular.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the frame of the novel needle board with triangular clearance openings therein.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the frame of the novel needle board with hexagonal clearance openings therein.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the frame of the novel needle board with circular clearance openings therein.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the novel needle board showing mechanical means for fixedly connecting the resilient plates to the frame.

FIGURE 11 is a sectional side elevation view taken along line 1111 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary plan view of adjacent holes in the resilient plates one of which has disposed therein the shank of a felting needle.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged exploded perspective View, partly broken away, of another form of the novel needle board showing the frame having a plurality of resilient plates connected to the top and bottom surfaces thereof.

Description of the invention In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3 one form of the novel needle board 30 is shown, and is suitable for use in any type conventional felting machine (not shown). In operation needle board 30 will be reciprocated vertically in the usual manner whereby needles 32 thereof will engage the felting (not shown) and cause it to be compacted and intertwined in a base fabric or web (not shown) in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

The felting needle 32, as best seen in FIGURE 3, includes a shank 34 usually of uniform cross section, having an offset butt 36 formed at one end thereof and at the other end a portion 38 of smaller cross sectional area having a plurality of barbs 40 and terminating at its extreme end in a web penetrating point 42. The felting needles may have enlarged butt portions on the needle shank, but it is more economical to make and .use needles having shanks of uniform diameter. Accordingly, only the latter are referred to in this specification, with it being understood that the scope of this invention contemplates that the novel needle board could be used to accommodate either.

The novel needle board 30 includes a multilayered construction in which there is at least one layer that constitutes a rigid frame 44 having a plurality of apertures or clearance openings formed therein in any suitable pattern. Between adjacent openings 52 is formed transverse ribbing 46 having cross ribs 48 intersecting lateral ribs 50. Clearance openings or apertures 52 are of larger cross sectional area than the cross sectional area of the needle shank 34. There is at least one other layer of the needle board that constitutes a resilient layer, of which two resilient plates '54 are depicted in FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

The needle board is formed by association of the resilient layer and the rigid layer in any suitable manner, some examples of which are: forming the resilient layer contiguously with the rigid layer; bonding the resilient layer to the rigid layer; otherwise affixing the resilient layer and the rigid layer such as mechanically or by an adhesive means, available in the market, capable of joining nonsimilar materials. These suggested associations are merely for purposes of illustration and not limitation.

Accordingly, resilient plates 54 may be connected to the top and bottom surfaces of frame 44 by a suitable adhesive. Resilient plates 54 may be formed with suitable needle gripping means such as a plurality of holes 56 that are arranged in a predetermined pattern so as to be in vertically spaced alignment to each other and extend over the openings 52 whereby the shanks 34 of needles 32 may be disposed therethrough so that needles 32 may be mounted in needle board 30 in parallel relationship to each other.

The butt 36 of each needle 32 may also be locked against the needle board 30 by a clamping board 58 to insure against endwise displacement of needles 32 during use.

The rigid frame 44 may be made of any suitable material capable of resisting great pressure as for example wood or metal.

Needle plates 54 are formed of a suitable resilient material such as rubber, a synthetic plastic or other suitable elastic synthetic material so that any hole 56 formed therein will be deformable when needle shank 34 is forced into mounted position therein. The amount of deformation will depend on the shape of the hole and the composition of the material. For example, as shown in FIG- URE 12, resilient plate 54 is mounted on frame 44 and has a plurality of round holes 56 of diameter Y prior to insertion of circular shank 34 and thereafter are deformed to a diameter of Z which corresponds to the diameter of shank 34. In this way shank 34 will be firmly supported by the vertically spaced resilient plate 54, the alignment of the holes 56 of which permit parallel disposition of needles 32 in needle board 30.

Frame 44 illustrated in FIGURE 2 includes openings 52 disposed in aligned rows with the ribbing 46 formed therebetween set in a squared grid pattern. If it is desired to increase the density of the felting needles 32 the openings of the frame may be disposed in staggered rows of any desired shape. Several alternate rigid frames are 4 illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 and their use or the use of any other suitable frame will be dependent among other things on the cross sectional shape of the needle shank to be accommodated, the design fra-me strength and the desired needle density.

Accordingly, FIGURE 7 shows a frame 44a having triangular clearance openings 52a disposed in staggered rows with transverse ribbing 46a formed therebetween. Frame 44a would most commonly be used for needle boards having needles with shanks of triangular cross section (not shown) to be mounted in the holes of resilient plates fixedly connected to the frame 44a.

FIGURE 8 shows a frame 44b having hexagonal clearance openings 52b with transverse ribbing 46b formed therebetween. Openings 5212 are disposed in staggered rows so as to permit the shanks of the needles, usually of corresponding hexagonal cross section (not shown), to be disposed in a greater density than would have been possible with aligned rows of openings.

Rigid frame 440 is illustrated in FIGURE 9 and has staggered rows of circular openings 52c with transverse ribbing 46c formed therebetween. Frame 440 would be able to accommodate a wide range of variously shaped needle shanks limited only by the diameter of the opening 520.

The rigid frames shown in FIGURES 2, 7, 8 and 9 are merely representative of several common types of apertures or clearance openings forming pattern that may be broadly defined as a honeycombed type construction. The thickness of the ribbing may be varied within design limits so as to provide economical frames of desired strength. In the preferred form the needle shank 34, as illustrated in FIGURE 3, will remain out of contact with frame 44 as the openings 52 are deliberately made of larger cross sectional dimensions than the cross sectional area of shank 34. Conversely, holes 56 are preferably formed of smaller cross sectional area than the cross sectional dimensions of shank 34 so as to require shank 34 to be forced therethrough in order to be firmly supported by resilient plates 54 at vertically spaced points along shank 34. Accidental contact between the needle Shank and the frame may occur, but since the needles are mounted to the resilient plates such contact will be permitted so long as it does not interfere with the needles being placed in or removed from the resilient plates.

FIGURE 12 shows a needle shank having a diameter Z which may be defined as regular. However, there will be instances in which it is desired to use needle shanks of larger or smaller cross sectional area. To make this possible for a given needle board without substitution of the resilient plates thereof a modified needle shank hole may be used initially, such as illustrated in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6. In these figures the resilient plate 54 is shown fixedly connected to the type of frame depicted in FIG- URE 9 with the openings therein being circular. The diameter of openings 52c establish the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the shank, while the minimum crosssection will be set in accordance with the desired needle density.

Accordingly, FIGURE 4 shows a resilient plate 54 in which the regular sized holes 56 have radial slots 60 extending outwardly therefrom a short distance and terminate before reaching the periphery of opening 520. Slots 60 permit holes 56 to deform to a greater extent than would otherwise be possible so as to accommodate needles having shanks of larger than regular cross sectional dimensions. However, the area of slot 60 is relatively small and will still permit shanks of regular cross sectional area to be firmly supported in holes 56.

If the range of needles to be accommodated runs from regular to smaller than regular cross section holes 56 of resilient plates 54 are formed with inwardly extending radial projections 62 shown in FIGURE 5. Once again the relative size of projections 62 is such as not to interfere with mounting the needle shanks of regular cross sectional area whereby the needles will be firmly supported in holes 56 of resilient plate 54, but also shanks of smaller than regular cross sectional dimensions may also be accommod'ated.

FIGURE 6 shows a resilient plate 54 having modified holes 64 of the same diameter as holes 56 except that holes 64 have radially outwardly extending slots 66 and radially inwardly projections 68 which permit hole 64 to firmly support needles having shanks of regular, larger than regular, or smaller than regular cross-sectional areas.

Needle board 30a shown in FIGURES and 11, has a frame 44a described hereinbefore with transverse ribbing 64a and triangular openings 52a therebetween. Resilient plates 54a are mechanically connected to frame 44a by large headed screws 70 passing through holes 72 in resilient plate 54a to .be threadedly received in holes 74 of frame 44a. Screws 70 may either supplement the use of an adhesive to fixedly connect the resilient plate 54a to frame 44a, or serve as the sole connecting means. Resilient plates 54a have aligned holes 56a into which the triangularly shaped shank 34a is disposed in to be firmly supported at vertically spaced points normally out of contact from triangular openings 52a.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated in FIG- URE 13 shows another form of the novel needle board designated generally as 80 and includes a frame 82 to which a plurality of resilient plates 84 are fixedly connected.

Frame 82 is formed with a stepped front and back 86 and 88 respectively. Top surface 90 and bottom surface 92 are each formed with two recessed plate receiving surfaces 94. Grooves 96 are formed with a taper that increases in a direction away from the outer surface and extends across surface 94 on the front and back sides thereof. Staggered rows of circular clearance openings 100 extend the length and breadth of surface 90, and through from top surface 90 to bottom surface 92 with transverse ribbing 98 formed therebetween. Resilient plates 84 having correspondingly tapered edges 102 are fixedly connected to surfaces 94 with edges 102 disposed in grooves 96. Suitable adhesives may be applied to connect plate 84 to frame 82.

As will be apparent from the broken away section of FIGURE 13 the staggered rows of holes 104 are disposed within openings 100 and will be mounted in alignment to the corresponding hole located on the opposite frame surface in substantially the same manner as set forth under the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 1-3.

A great number of needles (not shown) will be mounted in parallel relationship to each other and firmly supported in the vertically spaced holes 104 of resilient plate means 84 normally out of contact with openings 100 of frame 82.

It is apparent that use of the novel needle boards described and claimed herein will permit needle densities as great or greater than was possible in prior art needle boards. In addition, the needle boards of the present invention will permit greater flexibility or interchangeability in both the arrangement and range of sizes of the felting needles than was ever possible heretofore.

In addition, the resilient plate means are made substantially identical to one another so that it is possible to place the respective holes thereof in true alignment to each other which in turn permits accurately mounting all of the felting needles in parallel relationship to each other so as to greatly reduce bending or breakage of the needles. It has also been found that by firmly supporting the shanks of the felting needles at vertically spaced points in the resilient plate means that the life and performance of the felting needle is greatly increased.

The embodiments of the present invention show the use of two resilient plates and one rigid frame, but this arrangement could be reversed to associate one resilient plate with two rigid frames, or one of each could be used or a plurality of each, all within the intended scope of the present invention.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, arrangement of parts and operating conditions which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of this invention, what I claim herein is:

1. A multilayer needle board for a needle felting machine comprising:

(a) at least one rigid layer having a plurality of apertures formed therein, and

(b) at least one resilient layer contiguous to the rigid layer and providing needle gripping means to supportably receive felting needles which extend in the apertures of the rigid layer.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:

(a) means affixing the resilient layer to the rigid layer.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2 wherein:

(a) the last mentioned means to adhesively afiix the resilient layer to the rigid layer.

4. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein:

(a) a plurality of resilient layers afiixed to the rigid frame in spaced relation to each other.

5. A felting machine needle board to supportably mount a plurality of felting needles therein, said needle board comprising:

(a) a rigid frame having a predetermined number of clearance openings formed in a predetermined arrangement therein,

(b) at least one plate means of resilient material having a substantially identical number and arrangement of holes formed therein as the predetermined number and arrangement of clearance openings in the frame,

(c) means affixing the plate means to the frame with each of the holes in said arrangement of holes disposed in like relation to and adjacent to each of the clearance openings, and

(d) the holes adapted to grip felting needles forced therethrough to extend in said clearance opening.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 wherein:

(a) the holes in the plate means formed of smaller dimensions than the clearance openings in the frame, and

(b) the holes disposed in alignment with the clearance openings.

7. The combination claimed in claim 6 wherein:

(a) a plurality of plate means afiixed to the frame,

(b) the holes of one plate means disposed in aligned spaced relation with the holes in other plate means and the clearance openings in the frame, and

(0) each of the aligned holes of the spaced plate means defining parallel axes for mounting the felting needles in parallel relation to each other.

8. In a felting machine needle board having a plurality of felting needles mounted therein:

(a) a frame of substantially rigid material having a plurality of clearance openings extending therethrough of predetermined size and location, and

(b) at least one needle plate means of substantially resilient material afiixed to the frame, with the material thereof partially extending inwardly of the clearance openings to define holes in a corresponding location to and of slightly smaller size than said clearance openings, and said holes adapted to hold the felting needles mounted therein.

9. The combination claimed in claim 8 wherein:

(a) the clearance openings in alignment with and larger than the holes in the needle plate means, and

(b) each of the holes of the needle plate means adapted to be enlarged an amount less than the clearance opening dimensions by the felting needles being forceably mounted therein whereby the needles will be substantially out of contact with the frame.

10. The combination claimed in claim 8 wherein:

(a) the needle plate means including a top and a bottom needle plate member disposed in spaced relation to each other and fixedly connected to the frame, and

(b) the holes of said top and bottom members disposed in alignment to each other and the clearance openings whereby the needles may be mounted in the spaced holes in parallel relationship to each other.

11. The combination claimed in claim 10 wherein:

(a) adhesive means securing each of the needle plate members to the frame.

12. The combination claimed in claim 11 wherein:

(a) the frame having a recessed groove formed adjacent each edge thereof, and each of the needle plate members disposed within the groove means and held in operative aligned position therein.

13. The combination claimed in claim 8 wherein:

(a) means mechanically fastening the needle plate means to the frame, and

(b) the mechanical means including a plurality of individual fasteners extending through the needle plate means and into the frame to secure the needle plate means in operative aligned position.

14. The combination claimed in claim 8 wherein:

(a) transverse ribbing formed between the clearance openings of the frame,

(b) the ribbing defining a predetermined substantially honeycombed pattern,

(c) the plate means substantially covering the transverse ribbing, and

(d) the holes in the needle plate means formed in aligned rows disposed substantially within the openings in the frame.

15. The combination claimed in claim 14 wherein:

(a) the clearance openings being formed in a predetermined substantially noncircular pattern, and

(b) the holes in the needle plate means formed in rows disposed in alignment to and substantially within the noncircular clearance openings in the frame to permit the needles to be firmly held by the resilient means substantially out of contact from the frame.

16. The combination claimed in claim 14 wherein:

(a) the clearance openings being formed in a predetermined substantially circular pattern disposed in staggered rows.

17. The combination claimed in claim 10 wherein:

(a) the holes in the needle plate means formed with radial slots whereby a larger than regular needle shank cross sectional area may be forced into said holes.

18. The combination claimed in claim 17 wherein:

(a) a plurality of radially inward projections extending from the outer wall of the hole whereby an increased range of either larger or smaller than regular shank cross sectional areas is adapted to be forced into said holes.

19. The combination claimed in claim 10 wherein:

(a) the holes of the needle plate means formed of smaller cross sectional area than the adjacent openings of the frame, and

(b) the holes adapted to supportably receive the felting needle therein without the felting needles coming into substantial contact with the frame.

20. The combination claimed in claim 14 wherein:

(a) the ribbing of the frame formed about and in spaced relation with each of the holes of the needle plate means whereby the plate means will be supported on said ribbing to prevent substantial deforming thereof and maintain the substantial parallel relationship of the felting needles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,391,560 12/1945 Foster 284 3,122,815 3/1964 Smith 28--4 3,309,753 3/1967 Astor 28--4 4 LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner. 

